


The Toy Box

by TheMackerelli



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Gen, Mention of Child Abuse, Neil as a little kid, before he became a sarcastic little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 23:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21807217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMackerelli/pseuds/TheMackerelli
Summary: When her husband burns Nathaniel with a burning hot poker Mary packs their bags and runs to her brother.
Relationships: Neil Josten & Mary Hatford, Stuart Hatford & Neil Josten
Comments: 4
Kudos: 89





	The Toy Box

Sometimes Nathaniel wasn't allowed to leave his room. “Your uncle has business” his mom would tell him. It was one of the few familiar things about this place. He hadn't been allowed to move at home either, when his father had to do business.

So, Nathaniel sat on his bed as still as he could, his eyes on the toys that were still scattered around. He has even more of them than he used to have at home. He hadn’t been allowed to bring any of his old ones, but these had already been here when Nathaniel and mom arrived, and Uncle had Stu told him that they were his now. Nathaniel’s father never got him toys, so all the ones he’d had were from his mum. Or Lola and diMaccio. But mom said those weren't real toys. His father said those where the only kind of toy a boy needed.

Nathaniel didn't miss his father. Sometimes he missed Lola who used to play hide and seek with him sometimes and if he managed to evade her long enough, she wouldn't make him have any more lessons. He also missed the nice dresses his father bought for mom. She'd usually wear them once and then Nathaniel was allowed to cut them up with her. It was the only time she allowed him to use Lola’s toys.

He twitched nervously. His father got very angry when Nathaniel moved while he was doing business, so he was sure Uncle Stu would be too. But he wasn't here, and Nathaniel really, really wanted to play. He looked around carefully. His room wasn't as big as the one at home, but it had less spaces where someone else could be hiding. Slowly Nathaniel slid off his bed and walked over to the toy box. Nothing happened. Eagerly he sat down in front of it and opened it. He was careful not to move his right arm too much, since it still hurt sometimes.

“Are you having fun?” Nathaniel whirled around and spotted Uncle Stu leaning in his door.

He hadn't even heard it open. Lola would be so angry. Nathaniel looked around guiltily at the toys strewn around him, then stared at Uncle Stu. If he didn't move maybe he'd think the toys had already been there!

“Come on” Nathaniel froze when the older man walked over to him. He grabbed Nathaniel under the arms and lifted him up.

“It's time for dinner”, Uncle Stu said and carried him out of the room.

Nathaniel stared at the man uncertainly as they walked through the house. Mom was already in the dining room, chatting with another man. The moment Uncle Stu set him down Nathaniel ran to her, fleeing into her protective arms.

“Nathaniel!” she patted his hair.

Mom was the person he could trust. Lola was his friend, but she would punish him if he did something she didn't like. Mom was never angry, and she was never mean to him.

Here Nathaniel rarely ate the same things as Mom and Uncle Stu and the other grown-ups. He got pasta with sauce or dinosaur shaped chicken. Afterwards a lady always came to ask if he liked it and Nathaniel dutifully said yes, even if he didn't. They lady asked the others as well and they didn't always have to say yes.

“Mom?” Nathaniel said quietly when she was tucking him that evening “Does Uncle Stu do the same business as dad?”

His mom tensed for a second, then she sat down on the edge of the bed and began stroking his hair.

“He does something similar” she said after a while.

“So are Fred and Anna, like Lola?” Anna was the cook and Fred could usually be found around the house, cleaning. Nathaniel had stumbled over him a few times when he had been exploring, though he had always been careful to keep hidden from him.

“Why didn’t Lola ever have to cook or clean?” he tacked on, when his mom didn’t answer immediately.

Mary burst out with a short laugh at that, “Imagine Lola cleaning…” She trailed off.

“Fred and Anna are your Uncles staff. It’s their job to clean and cook for us but they aren’t part of your Uncles business. He would never involve you in that, ok sweetheart?”

Nathaniel nodded, though he didn’t really understand. His mom stayed with him until he fell asleep, running her hands through his hair.

The next morning there was a soft knock on the door before it opened, and Nathaniel’s mom peeked in.

“Good morning, sweetie!” she greeted him when she saw he was awake and came to sit in the edge of the bed “Happy birthday, Nathaniel! Are you excited for today?”

Nathaniel pulled his blanket up a little higher and nodded hesitantly. Last year his father had been on a business trip and his mom had taken him to the Zoo. Lola had come, too and had kept making mean comments. But it still had been fun, until his father had found out about it when he had come back.

“You can have breakfast in your pajamas, because it’s a special occasion” his mom told him and kissed his forehead “And we'll do whatever you want for the whole day”

Nathaniel smiled at her and carefully tucked Bunny under his pillow, so no one would find him. Bunny had been given to him by Anna, the cook, when she had caught him up after a bad dream.

Nathaniel followed his mom down to living room, grasping her hand, while walking next to her.

The living room looked different than usual. A table had been set up by the window, overflowing with brightly wrapped parcels. Uncle Stu was sitting in one of the armchairs with a newspaper

“Happy Birthday, Nathaniel” he greeted and folded the newspaper “Are you ready for your birthday cake?”

Nathaniel looked up at his mom then nodded at her encouraging smile.

“Anna!” Uncle Stu called and got up.

The door to the breakfast room opened and Fred came in, holding the door open for Anna as she entered the breakfast room with a huge cake in her hands.

“Good morning birthday boy” she greeted Nathaniel and gave him one of her bright dimply smiles.

Uncle Stu approached him and lifted Nathaniel into his arms, giving him a better view of the cake.

“Your mom said chocolate is your favorite” he said amused “Go on, thank Anna and then you can have a piece for breakfast. But just this once”

“Thank you, Anna!” Nathaniel put his arms around Uncle Stus neck and put his face against the man’s shoulder as he was carried into the breakfast room, missing the private smile his mom exchanged with her brother. He was deposited in his chair and Anna served him a generous piece of cake, winking at him as she did so. The adults chatted easily over their more sensible breakfast while Nathaniel devoured his cake. He was even allowed a smaller second piece, before his mother replaced it with some cut up fruit.

“Do you want to unwrap your presents now, sweetie?” his mom asked him.

Nathaniel froze and dropped the apple slice he had been holding. He felt his lower lip starting to wobble as he stared at her resolutely, not daring to look at Uncle Stu, Anna or Fred.

“Oh no, sweetie” she got up and pulled him into her arms, obviously sensing that he was upset “What’s wrong? Don't you want to open your presents?”

“Won't Uncle Stu be mad?” he whispered wetly against her neck.

“Why would he be mad” she ran her hand up his back soothingly “He got them for you!”

“But... dad always said...” Nathaniel trailed off when he felt her arms tightening around him almost painfully.

She carried him out of the room after murmuring a few words to Uncle Stu. They sat down on the couch and she rubbed at his damp cheeks.

“Sweetheart, listen to me” she said to him insistently “Nothing what that man said matters anymore, okay? We aren't in that house anymore and we'll never go back. Your uncle is nothing like your father, sweetie, he loves you so much and he is kind. Your father... we'll never see him again, do you understand me?”

He nodded hesitantly and received a tight hug for it.

“Now, there are a lot of presents waiting for you to open them” she smiled at him.

After a moment he nodded and over to the overflowing table, grabbing the first present he could get his hands on.

He barely noticed Uncle Stu, Fred and Anna coming in as well, until Anna sat down next to him and fished for a box wrapped in glittery paper.

“This ones from me” she told him kindly.

He put away the chemistry set and curiously took Annas present. He ripped of the paper and peered at the book that was revealed.

“The bunny I gave you is based on this book” she told him “It's the story of how he came to live with us”

Nathaniel hugged the book to his chest and looked at her with wide eyes.

“Thank you, Anna!” he told her and carefully put it on the couch next to him when Fred approached to hand him his present as well.

By the time all presents had been unwrapped there where toys and books strewn all over the living room. Nathaniel was lying on one of the couches with his head on his mom’s lap and playing with a small model of the solar system.

“What’s this planet called?” he asked and pointed to the dark blue one.

“Neptune” Uncle Stu answered from next to him. The man had gotten rid of his shoes and put his feet up on the coffee table, despite Fred’s disapproving look. He was trying to figure out a puzzle he himself had gotten Nathaniel and had a concentrated look on his face.

Anna and Fred had gone to throw out the wrapping paper and hadn’t come back. Now Anna stuck her head in the room.

“I'll start on dinner” she told them “Nathaniel, darling, what do you want to eat?”

Nathaniel glanced at Uncle Stu, who didn't react, then he threw a considering look at his mom.  
“I want the dinosaurs for everyone” he said, almost defiantly while watching Uncle Stus reaction.

“Dinosaurs?” the man looked up and glanced at Anna amused.

“Dinosaur chicken wings” she confirmed.

“Sure, why not” Uncle Stu laughed and reached over to drag Nathaniel up “Put all your new stuff in your room, before dinner”

Nathaniel bit his lips and sealed his arms around Uncle Stus neck.

“Help me, please” he dared and glanced back at his mom, who was watching with a content look on her face.

“Sure buddy” Uncle Stu said and let Nathaniel go to collect everything.


End file.
